---
title: Has parent query
description: Returns child documents whose joined parent document matches a provided query. You can create parent-child relationships between documents in the same...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-dsl-has-parent-query
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Has parent query
Returns child documents whose [joined](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/parent-join) parent document matches a provided query. You can create parent-child relationships between documents in the same index using a [join](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/parent-join) field mapping.
<warning>
  Because it performs a join, the `has_parent` query is slow compared to other queries. Its performance degrades as the number of matching parent documents increases. Each `has_parent` query in a search can increase query time significantly.
</warning>


## Example request


### Index setup

To use the `has_parent` query, your index must include a [join](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/parent-join) field mapping. For example:
```json

{
  "mappings": {
    "properties": {
      "my-join-field": {
        "type": "join",
        "relations": {
          "parent": "child"
        }
      },
      "tag": {
        "type": "keyword"
      }
    }
  }
}
```


### Example query

```json

{
  "query": {
    "has_parent": {
      "parent_type": "parent",
      "query": {
        "term": {
          "tag": {
            "value": "Elasticsearch"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```


## Top-level parameters for `has_parent`

<definitions>
  <definition term="parent_type">
    (Required, string) Name of the parent relationship mapped for the [join](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/parent-join) field.
  </definition>
  <definition term="query">
    (Required, query object) Query you wish to run on parent documents of the `parent_type` field. If a parent document matches the search, the query returns its child documents.
  </definition>
  <definition term="score">
    (Optional, Boolean) Indicates whether the [relevance score](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-filter-context) of a matching parent document is aggregated into its child documents. Defaults to `false`.
  </definition>
</definitions>

If `false`, Elasticsearch ignores the relevance score of the parent document. Elasticsearch also assigns each child document a relevance score equal to the `query`'s `boost`, which defaults to `1`.
If `true`, the relevance score of the matching parent document is aggregated into its child documents' relevance scores.
<definitions>
  <definition term="ignore_unmapped">
    (Optional, Boolean) Indicates whether to ignore an unmapped `parent_type` and not return any documents instead of an error. Defaults to `false`.
  </definition>
</definitions>

If `false`, Elasticsearch returns an error if the `parent_type` is unmapped.
You can use this parameter to query multiple indices that may not contain the `parent_type`.

## Notes


### Sorting

You cannot sort the results of a `has_parent` query using standard [sort options](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/elasticsearch/rest-apis/sort-search-results).
If you need to sort returned documents by a field in their parent documents, use a `function_score` query and sort by `_score`. For example, the following query sorts returned documents by the `view_count` field of their parent documents.
```json

{
  "query": {
    "has_parent": {
      "parent_type": "parent",
      "score": true,
      "query": {
        "function_score": {
          "script_score": {
            "script": "_score * doc['view_count'].value"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```